Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 ways Markieff Morris can help the team

1. He’s not a defensive liability

Morris may not be a lockdown defender, but he’s definitely serviceable on that end of the floor. Of course he has his flaws  — particularly in the pick-and-roll — but he’s not a complete liability.

Keef is a solid defender who can guard multiple positions depending on the matchup. He can be an irritant and a pest.

He’s slightly bigger than his twin brother, Marcus Morris, who plays for the Boston Celtics. Marcus is an inch shorter at 6’9″ and 235 pounds. Keef is 6’10” and 245 pounds. The extra inch and 10 pounds make a big difference.

He can be another formidable body you can throw at the likes of LeBron James, LaMarcus Aldridge, Karl-Anthony Towns, etc.

Again, he’s not necessarily a stopper, but he can give those players a different look and help slow them down, if there’s such a thing. At times, Morris’ length and athleticism can make it difficult for some players to score or even penetrate into the lane.

With Oklahoma City having plenty of defensive-minded players on its roster, I doubt the organization will be looking for him to be one of the top defenders on the team.

However, it’s possible for the team’s defensive identity to rub off on him and as a result, it could sway him to put in the extra effort.